Automobile-lock



H. R/STABLEH.

AUTOMOBILE LOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE I. 1920.

mme@ 139,628,192@

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

` Rgmmsm madman R. R. STABLER.

AUTOMOBILE LOQK. APPLICATION FILEDJUNEI. T920.

STATE ATENT-"F'Fi i ROBINSON It. STABLER, 0F BALTIMORE, JI/JIABSIJAND,A ASSIGNOR TO THE STABLER AUTO ACCESSORES CO., OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, A. GORPQRATIUN 0l? MARYLAND.

AUTOMOBILE-LOCK. Y*

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RoBINsoN R. S'rAsLnn, a citizen of the United States, and a resi- 'dentof Baltimore9 in the State of Mary- A land7 have inventedcertain ne7 and useful of the car.

@ne object oit-this invention is to simultaneously break the electrical circuit and lock the front Wheels in Vany desired posi'- tion.

Another object is to provide a lock of th above type in which no ,keys are used, the release of the locking mechanism depending entirely upon a combination known only to the operator of the automobile.

Anotherl object is to provide a lock for automobiles in which the locking mechanism is thoroughly protected and cannot be removed When'in locked position.

lilith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel features of construction, varrangement and combination of parts more fully hereinafter described andl particularly detined in the appended claims.

ln the drawings, which are to be taken as merely illustrative of one manner of can rying out my invention:

` position.

parts in the lockedposition. i l' Fig. Tis a side elevation of the taperetb4 nipple used to secure the steering post attachment to the steering post.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be seen that the device consists or three main parts.y namely, the ordinary barrel combination mechanism, the steering post attachthedisk l0 in the ordinary'manner.

Speccation of Letters Patent. Parngd D99., 25?), LQZQLL Application filed `.Tune l, 1920. Serial No. 385,747.

nient, andthe locking mechanism in a hous-V ing and actuatedby the barrel combination. The steering post attachment consists of a 'main annular member l provided With longitudinal recesses 2 opposed diametrically 'and arranged at intervals in the outer periphery thereof. A stop 3 near the base of member l limitsits upward movement )vhile being assembled on the steering post and insures the locking recesses 2 being in a `plane with the locking lugs more 'fully here- "inater' described.

A frusto-conical channel extends centrally threaded to receive the Similarly tapered and threaded nipple a. This member is split full length asv at 5 andl is provided with longitudinal saiv cuts extending almost to the top as shown at 6. Flattened portions 7 are provided in order that a Wrench may be applied totighten or loosen the aS sembly. lt will novv be seen that by inserting the nipple and annular member l over the steering post the tWo may be secured to the post by giving member 4 a few turns owing to the tapered shape of both members l and t( A recess 7 is provided for a set screvvin order to lock the assembly to `the post if desired but ordinarily this will not be required. f

"The barrel combination is et ordinary construction and consists of the usual dial 8, mounted on spindle 9. which iskeyedT to he base plate ll carrieszthe combination disks l2 and is provided with lugs 13 Which form a ,bayonet joint with the lockingmeclianism housing.

The locking mechanism consists in a tvvo lHoles are )rovided as at 2O in housino" lt in order 4to render the screwl heads accessible when vthe device isiin the unlocked position, as "more fully hereinafter described.

se y' The other ends of the housings are secured together by screws 21 passing through a thickened portion of the wall 1l into threaded recesses 22 in member 15. screw heads are adapted to lie Hush with the bottom ot the recess for the barrel combinationbase plate Locking arms are shown at 23 pivoted at 24e and provided with lugs 25 which enter thelocking recesses on the steering post mechanism. ll`he pivots 24C extend upward into recesses provided in the upper housing to insure a rigid bearing for the locking arms, and members l5 serve to space the locking arms trom housing 15. rllhe arms are provided with enlarged ends beyond the lugs'25, shown at 26 adaptedY to cover the heads of the screws 17 when in the locked position only. Pivoted to the other end of arms 28 are links 27 in turn pivoted to a slide 28. rllhe slide is'provided with a main opening to clear the vdial spindle and a smaller parallel sided slot 29, the purpose ot which will be more fully described hereinafter. The pickup pawl 30 tor the disk 10 and the combination disks 12 and which also actuates 'the slide is pivoted to the slide at 31, and is provided with a `depending prof j ecti`on 32 oit sufficient length to Contact with disk 10 and combination disks 12 in their alined recesses 33. il wire spring 35 shown. attached to the pivot joint of. links 27 and they slide 28 exerts pressure on pawl 30 to insure an engagement with recesses 33 when they are in alinement. The slide is provided with a' boss 3d on its under side with which boss-36 on disk 10 engages to retract the Vslide in order to unlock the lugs from the `locking recesses.

Depending lugs 37 on housing 15 stiaddle the narrow portion ot thel slide and insure an equal pressure beingexerted on each locking arm. when the slide is moved.

'At band clock spring is inserted between the locking arms to prevent the lock# ing y lugs from engaging the recesses 2 through vibration .while in the unlocked position. p

A headless screw 39 is threaded into housing 15 and is provided with an enlarged parallel sided portion equal in width to the slot 29 in the slide. rlFhe top ot this screw lies Hush with the bottom ot the combination base plate recess.

il. hole 40 in base plate 11 allows access tobe had to the head oit the screw 39 when the lugs on the base plate have been engaged in the bayonet joint and the plate rotated. `When the locking lugs are in the unlocked position, the enlarged portion ot the screw 39 clears the slot and permits of the screw being turned. When the device is assembled and the screw accessible through hole l0 in the base plate, turning ot the screw will raise itlabove the level ot the base plate recess which prevents the base plate from being rotated, which prevents removal of the plate due to the bayonet joint. l/lhen the lugs are in the locking recesses, the slide being retracted, the enlarged parallel sidedportion of screw39 rides in slot 29 which prevents it troni being turned.

@ne of the locking arms is provided with upstanding pins 41 which are adapted to enter spring contacts a2 connected by means of wires d3 to the electrical circuit when the locking lugs are in the unlocked position.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming the automobile to be standing at the curb, with the engine running, the

dial is rotated, and due to pawl 30 engaging the recess in disk 10 the slide is retracted which through the pivoted links causes the lugs to enter Ithe locking recesses in the steering. post memben in the last. portion of travel of thearms as the lugs enter the locking recesses, the pins atl are removed trom engagement with the contacts and the ignition circuit is broken. Thus. with one operation the wheels are rigidly ,locked and 30 to engage therewith under the action of spring 35. Further rotation ot the dial to the lett causes pressure to be exerted on the slide which moves forward, releases the lugs from the locking recesses and engages pins t1 with contacts L12 whichcloses the circuit and the motor is ready to start.

t will thus be seen that it is impossible to stop the engine without rigidly locking the front wheels. This is in itself a feature of importance, as a driver is too apt to tail to lock the car either through carelessness or intent. ldfith this device, the? matter ot locking the car is not optional with the driver, but in order to `sto-p the engine by breaking the ignition circuit, the dial must be turned, and whenthe circuit is broken, the lugs are in position in the locking recesses.

Member 1 is standard itor all makes ot cars, the adjustment being in the tapered nipple l which may he ot a site to t member 'l to various sized steering posts.

Due to the several lockingrecesses, the front wheels may be locked at any desi/red angle, it simply being necessary to rotate the steering wheel until the tront wheels occupy the desired position and then spin the dial. 'lhe drawing shows the device attached to an vautomobile in which the steering post penetrates the instrument board in which case the barrel combination lies to the right ico ` ein.

bination otpositions may be used tolit the arrangement oi any car.

lt will be readily apparent to those 4skilled in the art that l have devised an automobile lock that is simple, compact, readily installed and absolutely impossible to unlock without manipulation ot' the con'ibination tion positively locks the tive silfrews-used in assemblinpthe wholeyand `prevents with drawal oit the saine until unlocked. readily adaptable to all makes oi cars, and

is an attractive and ornamental addition to the instrument Aboard.

'lt will be noted that in 'allowing the combination sleeve to penetrate the instrumentboard a Dositive locl; results which )revents rotation ot the wheel in locked position even thouglrvthe attaching screws be removed.

lt may be desirable to eliminate the steering post attachment entirely and provide the loolvingg,l recesses in the steering post itselt', but as this weakens the. postl to a certain extent7 it is preferredto use the limnular member which allows the entire mechanism to be removed it yso desired.

@ther suitable lock acti'iating means mav be used such as a hey in place ot the barrel combination, and l therefore do not wish to be limited by the drawings forming; a part ol" this specilication, which merely show one embinliment of the'invention,

lt may he desirable to include in the electrie circuit those ci' the headlights, starter1 and horn or any combination et the igni- The device when in the locked posi# lt is tion. headlight, starter or horn circuits which 45 or tamperinr with 'the starting mechanism.-

lt wil also be apparent that various other moi'liiieations ot the device may be made without departing,r irom the spirit of my invention.

What l claim is:

l. fi loch o'i the rlass described comprisinnv a steering post collar provided with peripheral reces-ses, a casing; inclosing said collar` levers provided with Vlocking dogs pivoted in said casing, a slide adapted to actuate said levers by means ot a toggle lint: connecting said levers and slide, and a lool; mechanism adapted to actuate the slide.

2. 3i lool; oi the class described comprising a steering post collar provided with peripheral recessesn levers provided with dogs en.

gagging said colla-r1 and having an extending` portion beyond said dogs, means to actuate said levers, and means to lock said actuating` means, a casing having a cover7 inclosing" said actuating means, screws attaching` said cover to said casing, the extending portions ot the levers covering`4 said screws when the device is in the locked-position.

3. 'it lock oit' the class described compris- 'ing locking levers within a casing` having,`

dogs engaging a steering' post attachment7 actuating means tor said levers, and lockinemeans tor said actuating means, said casing being` provided with an opening through which the locking means may be removed covered by a plate, said plate hei ing held to said casing by ascrew, said actuating means prevemingr rotation of the screw when the device is in the locked position.

ln testimony whereof, l ture.

aiilx my signa- RUBNSON It. SlrliBLER. 

